My trip to BMW in Munich was a whirlwind. I presented our electric motorcycle project to their top brass, securing a partnership that provided us with their latest racing motorcycle, the S1000RR, along with access to their engineers and CAD files.  Back at MIT, I juggled my PhD program with the demands of the race, successfully navigating the grueling qualifying exams.  Despite my advisor's encouragement to focus on the race, I was plagued by doubts and anxieties stemming from past academic struggles and a previous battle with depression.  Just as I was contemplating abandoning the project, BMW finally delivered the motorcycle, although it arrived as a box of disassembled parts.  Despite this setback, we pressed on, determined to reassemble the motorcycle and integrate our electric powertrain.